


Before the day breaks (us)

by TickToxissor



Series: The dumb Smrpg AU where Mack and Bowyer are cool [1]
Category: Super Mario & Related Fandoms, Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
Genre: Bromance, Forest Maze, Gen, I am the master of all things Platonic, Not that I don’t like geno, Smithy is good, So! The first fic in this tag not about Geno!, The Axem Rangers are one unit, Tribute, a bunch of arrows, but they’re both idiots, he’s cool, this was supposed to be serious
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-23
Updated: 2017-10-24
Packaged: 2019-01-21 17:45:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,402
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12462723
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TickToxissor/pseuds/TickToxissor
Summary: Super Mario RPG, a groundbreaking game. But what about the bosses? What was their story? I don’t know, but here’s a thing.One day Bowyer finds a damaged Mack in Rose Town. The forest and the castle hide their secrets. Friendship, hooray





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Warning: Reading may result in death by badly-written anthropomorphic weapon bromance (?).  
> I think I’ve officially lost it.

He moves on silent feet, stalking behind the last row of houses. He stops, watching. Quietly notches an arrow and quick as a flash, he shoots.  
The arrow sails far over its target, landing harmlessly in a bush. A toad -the target- shrieks and runs into a nearby house.

Annoyed grumbling was heard from behind a building, from the small crowd of arrows gathered around Bowyer’s feet. Bowyer, the archer, looked pretty fried. Electricity sparked from his joints angrily, as he realized how long it would take before any toads will dare come outside again. He turned back to the forest, preparing for another stretch of target practice, but out the corner of an eye, he spotted what looked like a dead machine lying in a puddle. This wouldn’t have interested him normally, but this one was bright red. None of his minions were that bright last time he checked(also they were all arrows), and Mack’s shysters generally stayed in their area. He wandered over to it, believing it would be a waste of time. But he recoiled at the realization. Looking more busted than functional, this far into his territory, was Mack himself.

Bowyer realized he’d never actually seen another weapon-general this close, or any weapon this damaged before. Then he remembered, Mack had flames burning inside him, right? That’s where he gets the fire for attacks! He poked around and opened the chest compartment, checking for the flame. It looked like a candle. Did that mean he was still functioning? A few more arrows gathered around at this point. One of them dared question,” What’s going on?” Another joined in,”Why-“  
“Shut up, nya!” Bowyer hissed, “Trying to figure this out I am!”  
The arrows shut up; they watched as he lifted the body from the ground and turned it upside down. A bunch of water poured out. Bowyer flinched, checking the flame again. It was still burning. He should bring him to Yaridovich or Smithy, right? But what if the flame went out? As per usual, he consulted the underlings, ”Nyat sure if take him to Yarid I should...” he mumbled aloud. About 15 arrows started talking at once, eager to be of any help.  
“No way man, what would he know?”  
“Maybe you should?”  
“You’re a weapon general too right?”  
“Idk man”  
“I don’t wanna bother”  
“I’m tired”  
Well, they were no help, as usual. Straightening up again, Bowyer decided to take matters into his own hands this time. Running with the body, off like a shot, he headed to what was usually referred to as “The nest”. The arrows tried to follow for a distance before disbanding themselves, unable to keep up.

“The nest” was essentially Bowyer’s base of operations/ rain shelter. It consisted of a few trees close together, interwoven with branches and layered with a bunch of grass and feathers. So basically it looked like a mutant beaver lodge.  
Once Bowyer arrived, he carefully placed the fallen weapon general at the entrance and started digging through the random ~~crap~~ stuff that he had absconded from the castle and surrounding area. This included (but was not limited to) a stuffed tiger, 3 Koopa shells, a violin bow, tide pods (do not eat), a checkers board (He didn’t know how to play) and -oh, there they were- fire starters.  
He built a small fire (no crazy bonfires tonight) and lit it with a well aimed Static E. He then turned his attention back to Mack, moving him to a more comfortable place, closer to the fire.  
Backing up to inspect his work, Bowyer realized something: Mack looked almost cute, lying by the fire, but... cute things were generally what Bowyer was accustomed to shooting at, so he ignored that thought, clearly there was a fluke in his system. Oh? It’s time for patrol!

———

The middle of the forest; the top of a tree. Something silhouetted against the moon, the archer again. Pivoting slowly, searching the skyline, apparently he is satisfied and disappears.

Bowyer jumped down out of the tree, shaking off leaves. He worried as he patrolled, the arrows _should_ be watching Mack, but they tend to get... off task quickly.  
A short time later, he headed back. At this time of night, the wrigglers were are all asleep on the ground, and the luminous mushrooms glowed softly.  
He returned to The nest, something felt different. Then he realized: Mack was in the fire.  
“NYAAAA! Mackie?!”  
Mack lifted his head, ”Oh hey Bowyer.”  
“You a-are uh-“ Bowyer stuttered in response  
“I’ve been better...” Mack answered, “‘Specially when I didn’t have the stuffing beat outta me.”  
“Help can I uh..?” Bowyer mentally cursed his messed-up vocal systems for the millionth time.  
“Well some food would be great...” Mack mumbled, pushing his arms up under his head.  
Bowyer twitched at the order and then seemingly disappeared.  
“Wait, you even bothered to figure out how food works?!” Mack called after him.  
No answer, though some arrows shuffled in from where he left, apparently sent on watch.  
Mack sighed and laid back down in the fire, too tired to do much else.

————

Bowyer arrived back in Rose town, in about the same spot he had been shooting from earlier. He frowned, remembering his previous failure. His hearing systems picked up a familiar sound from far away. Kth-tic! Kth-tic!  
His identifiers went crazy, there was no possible way he could be hearing this.  
Kth-tic!Kth-tic!Kth-tic!  
It was growing louder, multiplying. One moment everything was still; Then something erupted from around a corner... A bunch of Shysters on pogo-knives... Led by _Mack_.  
But this Mack wasn’t red. This one was silver, as if no paint had been applied yet. Bowyer was not sure he could handle this; Several parts of his systems were making concerning noises.  
He could see the flames licking out from between the metal teeth. Bowyer guessed this was how fear felt, though it could be confusion, he wasn’t sure.  
“How goes it Bowyer? Smithy gave us this town for the takin’ tonight! Feel free to go storm ours!” The silver bot cackled, a smile splitting his face. He spoke just like the real one; it was amazing and terrifying at the same time.  
“Okay, yours it is then!” Bowyer managed with a weak smile. This apparently pleased the replacement, as he bounced off with the shysters trailing behind.  
Bowyer’s systems couldn’t seem to process this correctly. It was like... something was there that shouldn’t be. He did the only thing he could think of. Yes, it was cowardly, but he ran. Back to The nest, back to where he at least had some idea of what was going on. Oh wait, he’d forgotten to get any food. Oh well, he only understood mushrooms anyway.

When he arrived back, Mack was sitting really close to the fire, but at least not inside it anymore.  
“How’d it go Bow- oh man, what happened!?” He questioned, seeing the condition of the other bot.  
“Ah- uh, Copy of you there was, and ...” Boyer panted, and began to further describe the encounter.  
Mack’s dark eyes widened, “Really? They gave me up for dead that fast?”  
Bowyer sighed, “Well, dead you would’ve been.”  
“I mean... you’re not wrong.”  
They sat in silence for about a minute, trying and failing to process this new development.  
Just then, they both got a transmission:  
“From: Yaridovich  
Subject: Meeting  
Text: An emergency meeting has been called, please report to the castle. Failure to arrive will result in a loud annoying noise being played in your audio for three hours, so everyone better show up.”

They both looked at each other, faces brightening as they realize maybe they can find out the source of this anomaly.  
Mack punched the air.  
“Let’s go, Nyah!” Bowyer grinned like an idiot.  
Mack froze for a moment, remembering something.  
“My systems aren’t meant to umm”, He started, his face suddenly flushing a bit ”Well, walk. I’m kinda supposed to be with my pogo knife all the time” He turned away, embarrassed by this strange oversight.  
Bowyer tilted his head and seemed to think for a minute before his face brightened up again,  
“Ride on me, you can! Nyaat a problem, Mackie!”  
“R-really!? That would be sick!”  
“Sick it will be! Hold on, nya!”

They set off through the trees, to the castle previously called Bowser’s Keep.


	2. Chapter 2

Another thing Mack never realized about Bowyer was how fast he was. Even with the thick underbrush and detours to stay under cover, they reached the castle in about 10 minutes. It looked pretty intimidating with Exor stuck through it.  
“Sooo do we just go in?”  
“No! Sneak we will!” (Bowyer always snuck into meetings)  
“Yeah, bet they won’t be too happy to see me.” (Mack misinterpreted)  
“Nyah! Don’t say that Mackie!”  
“Well, it’s true.”  
Bowyer then realized it might be, and took extra care in his sneaking endeavors.  
They ended up on a balcony; one of many on the side of the castle. They had no plan.

Thunk, Thunk.  
They could hear heavy footsteps in the hallway. Under the sound were faster, lighter footsteps, trying hard to keep up. Those could only be Smithy and Yaridovich, on their way to the meeting. And oh- they were talking! Both bots were filled with the thrill of spying, putting their heads closer to the wall in an attempt to hear better.  
“Well darn, I can’t believe we had to replace Mack already”  
“Yeah, there hasn’t really been much real resistance. Of course, except that toad brigade that took him down.”  
Bowyer stares at Mack “You got taken by _toads_ down?!” He whispered.  
“Shut up!” Mack whispered back.  
Bowyer stifled a laugh.  
They listened in again: “Yes, but the replacement seemed fine...”  
“I honestly forgot which room is the copy room.”  
“Oh my god Smithy, you built it.”  
“But I can’t remember!”  
“225B you uhh, boss.”

Curious and slightly angry, both bots simultaneously decided they needed to check out that room.

—  
Through some memory checks and sneaking around hallways, they find it.  
The room is dark, it takes time for eyes to adjust.  
There were machines, like hulking silver behemoths. There were parts, some disturbingly familiar. The machines were off, but sat like doomsday devices.

Bowyer finds himself laughing as they stare. He he probably sounded crazy, but that was all his systems came up with.  
Mack stared as well, slightly less surprised. He then noticed some stock pogo-knives against the wall and turned to Bowyer, “Well look, at least you don’t hafta carry me anymore-“  
It was then he realized, Bowyer was paralyzed. An arrow stuck out from his shoulder, his face was frozen in fear, or maybe realization.  
Across the room was another Bowyer, with only a base coat of paint. It was silently preparing to shoot another arrow.

At that moment Mack could have run, there were stock pogo-knives _right there_ , and there was a large window...  
He cast Flame Wall instead.  
The room blazed with heat, all the machines were taking serious damage. Mack took a little damage as well, unable to dodge his own fire while standing on the ground.  
It was more than the room could handle, things started looking bad.  
Mack climbed onto a stock pogo-knife so he could reach the arrow still stuck in Bowyer. After a few tries he pulled it out, and the other bot un-froze. He still wouldn’t move though, and the room continued heating up.  
Mack looked him straight in the eyes -they were at eye level now- “Bowyer- man! This place is gonna blow, we needa get out of here.”  
This seemed to re-start him enough for some form of adrenaline to kick in. They both made for the window.

ThOOooMm

The explosion was heard throughout the castle.  
———

They stood in a courtyard, clearly shook, but mostly unharmed.  
After a few moments, Bowyer spoke, “Well, what do we nyaw?”  
“We go as far as we can, as fast as we can” Mack replied without hesitation.  
“B-but leave the arrows I can’t! The forest... Maybe Smithy we should talk to.”  
“We just blew his stuff up, Bowy.”

If only they had seen the eyes trained on them from the top of the castle before the order was given  
“Exor, could you use Dark Star for me please?”  
“Sure thing Yarid.”

—-

The next morning the silver Mack got a paint job. The stock Bowyer (that somehow survived the explosion) was promoted, they got a paint job as well. The world went on.

A plumber, a cloud kid and a Star spirit set out to save the world...  
————— - -

[Authors note: SIKE! That’s the baaaad ending! Read the real ending in the next chapter ;)]


	3. The last one

“Bowyer- man! This place is gonna blow, we needa get out of here.”  
This seemed to re-start him enough for some form of adrenaline to kick in. They both made for the window.

The window closed.  
Both weapons reeled back, shock on their faces. They heard faintly though the fire, “water blast”  
—

 

 

About half an hour later, they were both sitting in the meeting room with the Axem Rangers. Yaridovich paced the room, though Smithy took up most of his walking space. Everything was still wet from the flood caused by water blast. But nothing had exploded.  
Eventually, Mack broke the silence, “Soooo, what was this meeting about?” He asked, holding his damaged arm close to his body  
“Oh, just about the stuff you idiots just almost destroyed!” Yaridovich replied, trying to fix his dislocated shoulder.  
Smithy chuckled from his corner of the room. It sounded really funny, and Axem Rangers laughed too.  
“Nyat our fault, Yarid; Attacked we were!”  
“Yeah, well we’re still working out some flaws.” Yaridovich looked offended. Smithy laughed again.

By the end of the night, everyone was fixed and caught up on the plans. The stock Mack was called off, and Mack got his original pogo-knife back.  
As they were leaving the still-damp meeting room, Bowyer and Mack both stepped aside.  
Bowyer started, “So, when this world domination thing, over is...”  
“We could steal a castle together and we could have target practice and I could teach you how to cook?” Mack bounced excitedly.  
Bowyer laughed, “Something like that, Nyah!”

Back to the forest, Back to the town, they go their separate ways once again.

—-  
A plumber, a cloud kid and a Star spirit set out to save the world...


End file.
